Let's Break Down my Limited Knowledge of Creole

Everyone is fairly familiar with an area known as "New England." We talk a lot about it in July what with the whole "battle for Independence" and all.

What you may not realize, is that there was also an area known as "New France." This area was composed of Eastern Canada and Maine, where the French originally settled. New France was made up of Quebec, and "everyone else" (called Acadians). Then came the British and those pesky New Englanders and the Acadians were deported. (Obviously a very broad strokes history lesson here. There was other stuff that happened in between, but you don't really read this blog for history, do you?)

Many of these Acadians ended up in Louisiana, where they became known as Cajuns. This French background explains the language and influence that has become synonymous with New Orleans, and most importantly with Mardi Gras.

And this is where my 4 years of French can help you decipher some of those tricky Mardi Gras phrases.

Phrases like "Mardi Gras" which literally translates into "Fat Tuesday." (And explains why the holiday is held on a Tuesday, as I explained to my coworker who was convinced Mardi Gras was usually celebrated on Thursdays.) As I explained yesterday, Fat Tuesday is the day to get rid of all that decadent fat in your house before Lent. Fat, sex, soda, alcohol, chocolate, and all other methods of debauchery.

Another popular Mardi Gras phrase is "Laissez les bons temps rouler" which means "Let the good times roll." Although this is an easy one to put together. Most of us are already familiar with the phrase "Laissez faire" which means "to let do" so you know you're letting something happen here. And rouler? roulette? Well you just know something is rolling. So we're letting something roll. And frankly, does it matter what?

Believe it or not, I have never been to New Orleans. I know, it's surprising given my LOVE of Cajun food. But that love drives me to go all out in celebrating Mardi Gras in my very own home. Or to at least use it as an excuse to make something creole. I don't discriminate - jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, dirty rice, red beans and rice, I love them all. This year I will share with you my Shrimp Jambalaya.

This is especially representative of New Orleans because it is truly Creole - a mix of the French and Spanish influences in Crescent City. This is easy and basic and just shrimp, but of course, you should feel free to add some of your favorite creole add ins - andouille sausage or okra.

Shrimp Jambalya
2 slices bacon, diced
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups canned tomatoes
dash of cayenne
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 spring of thyme, chopped
1 lb shrimp, cooked, shelled, and deveined.
chopped parsley
salt
2 cups rice

1. Fry the bacon in the skillet until crisp. Drain and dry.
2. Add the celery, onion, and green pepper to the bacon fat until the onion is translucent.
3. Add the garlic, the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Lower the heat and simmer 20 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp is hot. Season with salt as necessary.
5. Mound the rice on a plate and spoon the shrimp and sauce over it. Sprinkle with bacon and parsley.

With a Little Help From My Friends

This week on Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011, we're sharing resources. Most of the other entries I've read share their favorite books and magazine which help them on their healthy journey. Most of the books I read don't have much of a health aspect to them. And the magazines I read are your fairly typical fare of foods and clothing (although not usually in the same magazine.)



So instead, the resources I turn to are fellow bloggers. No matter how healthy or unhealthy my own choices are, I know exactly who to turn to for inspiration or help.

First, there's Shelby. Shelby is my go-to resource for new playlist ideas, running inspiration, and wine and beer recs.

And anytime I feel tired or lazy, I turn to my friend Cate, who has FINALLY come out of the blog-closet regarding her pregnancy. Seriously, it kills me keeping secrets. You see, Cate is currently training for the Boston Marathon. Which she will be running 20 weeks pregnant. What? Like that's impressive? How on earth can you justify sitting on your butt doing nothing when Cate is out there running for 2.

My friend Kira is another runner, and recently converted vegetarian. (Well, she's probably closer to a flexitarian, but has a very low meat intake). She makes super healthy meals with high grains, good proteins, and some of my favorite ingredients.

And speaking of favorite ingredients, I think I first fell in love with Cara because of her pumpkin recipes. But it was easy to stick around for more. Because Cara is seriously the most inventive cook I know. She manages to turn ingredients you've never heard of, into dishes you MUST MAKE NOW. Everything she makes is healthy, and yet covers all of your indulgences. (Don't believe me? Try the black bean brownies) And she's a weights girl, which is totally badass.

And of course there's Branny, who also is my go-to girl for meatless meals. Even though she often adds meat in for her husband, which is WAY nicer than me. I never make Thatboy his own special dinner. Branny is now living in a horse ranch - minus the horses. I imagine her as the healthiest person I know, out working in the field, milking the cattle even though she does neither of those things. One thing's for sure, she is a wiz with taking something not necessarily vegetarian and coming up with a great alternative. I adore her meatless shepherd's pie and most of her enchilada ideas!


Next week's topic is keeping the motivation going.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

I'm sure most of you know what tomorrow is. The streets are already posted with signs warning about the imminent Mardi-Gras festivities. And not to worry, I have a fabulous Mardi-gras type recipe waiting for you tomorrow.

But Fat Tuesday isn't just Fat Tuesday, it's also Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday follows the same idea as Mardi-gras. It's the day before lent so you get all your sinning out in one day before you become trite and obedient. Back in the old days, people used to get rid of their "sinful" food on this day. Even back then, people knew that fat made food taste good and therefore was bad for you. So they used it all up on Shrove Tuesday by making pancakes.

So in honor of Pancake Tuesday tomorrow, I'm sharing a pancake recipe with you. It's a very basic pancake recipe. In the past few weeks I've doctored it up by adding bananas, or chocolate chips, or even oatmeal. You can really play a lot with a good pancake recipe. Just make sure that you use up ALL the fat, oil, or butter in your house when making these. If you need help, just send it my way. We Jews don't really get involved in this "Lent" thing.

Pancakes
1/2-3/4 cup milk (depending on how thick you want it, more milk = thinner pancakes)
2 Tbsp melted butter
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

1. Combine the milk, butter, and egg in an electric mixer.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a separate bowl, and then add to the wet ingredients, stirring just until moist and combined.
3. Butter a griddle and set over medium heat.
4. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter onto hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes are full of bubbles on the top. Flip and and brown the other side.

My favorite combination

Everyone has their own opinion on mixing chocolate with other flavors. Thatboy doesn't really like chocolate and fruit (with the exception of chocolate covered strawberries). I don't like chocolate and mint.

Most of you long time readers know that in general, I don't generally go ga-ga over chocolate in general. Which is why I tend to indulge when the mood strikes me. And for a couple of weeks, I've been thinking brownies. Brownies are just so easy to make, in my mind easier than cookies. AND they freeze well, so that I can have some, and freeze the rest for the next time I feel like a random brownie.

I started the post talking about chocolate combinations for a reason. I mentioned that Thatboy loves mint and chocolate. And I've made him layered mint brownies before. My favorite chocolate combination is peanut butter and chocolate. So I figured I would take the same idea as the layered mint brownies and turn it into layered peanut butter brownies. For the peanut butter layer, I decided to really get into the creaminess and create something similar to a peanut butter cheesecake. Which makes these creamy and chocolately. You'll notice these look MUCH more like brownies than the last batch, which is because I decided to go with a bigger 13 x 9 inch pan. And it really paid off. I'm not going to even reveal how few of these actually made it in to the freezer. It's too embarrassing.

3 Layer Peanut Butter Brownies (adapted from Prez's 3 layer mint brownies)

1st layer

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 16 oz chocolate syrup

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs.
3. Add flour and syrup.
4. Pour into greased 13 x 9 pan.
   

2nd Layer

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 can condensed milk
  
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
  

1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy.
   
2. Add milk and peanut butter and beat until smooth.
   
3. Spoon mixture over brownie batter. Bake 35 minutes until cheesecake later is set.
   
4. Cool for 30 minutes and refrigerate 40 minutes.
   

3rd Layer

• 1 stick butter
• 12 oz chocolate chips

1. melt and pour over 2nd layer.
2. Spread with a knife.
3. Put back in fridge 30-40 minutes then cut into squares.
4. Refrigerate again.
   

Summer on a Saturday

It has been abnormally cold this past week. Well, I guess not abnormally cold for March, but abnormally cold for San Diego. There are brief windows of warmth midday, when most of us are stuck in our offices. By the time I leave for work I shiver on my way to the parking garage.

This morning, at 8 am, I was struck by an unusual sensation. It felt like pressure was moving up my body. I opened my eyes to see Thatdog, army crawling his way up my body on his elbows, dragging his little legs behind him. When he reached my face, out came the tongue. Guess Thatdog decided 8 o'clock was pretty much as late as anyone should sleep. I blame this on the gorgeous weather. I slipped on my running gear and we headed out while Thatboy remained asleep. Once we got outside, I could see why Thatdog was so anxious to start the day. I quickly shed my jacket.

We got back and woke up Thatboy so he could join us. And then Thatmom headed down to spend the day with us too. We spent most of the day doing fairly boring things like errands, not really getting a chance to take advantage of the weather. Which made me even more glad I got to enjoy my run this morning. I hope it holds up until at least tomorrow so Thatboy, Thatdog and I can hit up the beach.

Not expecting it to be such a warm and lovely day, most of my meals this week have been centered on warm, belling filling dinners. This is no exception. I'm a huge fan of mashed potatoes in the winter. They stick to your stomach almost as well as oatmeal. So anything served over mashed potatoes is bound to be a sure fire cold weather winner. I'm especially a fan of tender, braised meats that fall apart on the tines of your fork. Things like pot roast, short ribs, and Swiss Steak. What? You haven't heard of Swiss Steak? Don't worry, I hadn't either. And in my mind, Swiss Steak would be something covered in a fondue like cheese. Because isn't Switzerland known for three things - clocks, chocolate and cheese? So you can imagine my surprise when looking over recipes and seeing Swiss steak described as a cross between a pot roast and a stew, in a thick tomatoey sauce.

Sounds like the perfect solution to a winter day. Except of course, when it turns out to be Summer in March.

Swiss Steak (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
1 1/2 lbs rump, round, or chuck steak
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3 Tbsp shortening (psst Sophia that means Crisco in Thathouse)
1 1/2 cups canned stewed tomatoes
1 onion, sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 325. Trim the excess fat from the steak. Combine the flour, salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle half the flour on one side of the steak and pound in with a meat tenderizer. Flip and repeat.
3. Melt the shortening in a dutch oven. When it's melted, add the meat and brown on both sides.
4. Add the tomatoes and onion, cover and bake for 2 hours.

11 years

March 4, 2000 was the last night of a show, which always means one thing – cast party. I had two very definite crushes on two castmates and the guys couldn’t have been more different from each other. One of the crushes was throwing the party (we’ll call him Socks, to protect his identity while alluding to the fact that at one point I had his roommates steal all his socks and give them to me. When he demanded their return I froze them all overnight first.) The other crush was also going to be in attendance (we’ll call him Abs, to protect his identity while alluding to the fact that the first time he moved from “cutie” to “crush” was the day he started doing handstands and his shirt fell down over his head). It seemed like a win/win situation to me as I told my roommates I was planning on making my move that night. One or the other was about to fall into my trap.

As it turns out, Socks ended up in a room with another castmate when we were all ready to crash for the night. So I turned my attention to Abs and made my move. Apparently I had made the right choice, because 11 years later and Abs has become more than just a crush, he’s turned into a loving and caring partner and ½ of your all time favorite couple in Thathouse.

What’s funny, is that Thatboy and I did NOT start dating after that night. In fact, the very beginning of our relationship we weren’t in a relationship at all. And Thatboy was a complete and total jerk. (He hates this part of the story, so I’ll leave you with that abridged version and maybe fill in the blanks at a later point in time.) We didn’t actually start our relationship until after Spring Break, and I think that was sometime in April. Nevertheless, we both consider our relationship to have begun on that fateful night in March. Afterall, it was our first kiss. And, save for a handful of days, we were seeing each other on a daily basis, even if it was just as friends. And it was that period of time that made Thatboy realize just how important I was to him when he was away during Spring Break. Those weeks of not dating that made him seek me out the instant he returned in the hopes that he wouldn’t have to spend any more days without me.

Now that we’re married, Thatboy and I don’t usually do anything to commemorate this date, other than turn to each other in the morning and say something like “Holy Crap. Can you believe it’s been ______ years? We are SO old.” But I also can’t remember the last time March 4 fell on a Friday. So on Monday I made reservations for one of our favorite “fancy night” restaurants and sent Thatboy a text that he had a date for Friday night. We’re heading out tonight after work.

Which means I get to dig into the archives to find something fun to share with you while we’re out enjoying popcorn and burrata and probably lamb. I picked this, because it reminds me of March 5, 2000. As all the cast members gathered our belongings the next morning, Thatboy asked if I’d like to join him for breakfast. Technically, you could consider it our first date – that is, if we were dating. It was undeniably romantic, under the harsh neon lights of the dorm cafeteria, (Sorry, “residential dining halls”) surrounded by hundreds of people in their pajamas. But it is the quintessential symbol of our relationship. It’s nothing flashy, nothing fancy, it just exists amid the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Crustless Quiche
1/2 lb ground sausage, cooked
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 chopped green bell pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place eggs, cream, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl and whisk.
2. Stir in sausage, 1/2 cup of cheese and the green pepper.
3. Pour the egg mixture into an 8x8 baking pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until eggs are set.
4. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and and let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?

Today on my cooking board a very controversial question was brought up. It's a question you probably haven't given much thought to, but once I tell you what it is, you're going to think.

Do you consider mushrooms a vegetable?

My initial gut reaction was "yes, of course. They're certainly not a fruit."

But then I really thought about it. Just because something isn't a fruit, doesn't really make it a vegetable. And if I were trying to get in my daily vegetable intake, I probably wouldn't count mushrooms. In fact, if I were serving mushrooms in a dish, I would definitely serve a vegetable to go with them.

And I think I've mentioned time and time again that Thatbrother considers mushrooms a protein, which would be the same category as chicken or fish. (I think that might be a bit of a stretch)

So where do I put mushrooms? I mean, I know they're a fungus, that's not really the point. But in terms of "food groups" where do they fit? For me, they probably in the "accessory" column. Like olives (which I know is a fruit, but probably won't go in my fruit salad).

Instead, they're used for that little added "oomph" whether that be raw in salads or cooked on pizza or sauces. In fact mushrooms are a key ingredient in the classic dish of stroganoff. I think most common recipes tend to use cream of mushroom soup. Honestly, I'm not a fan of cream of mushroom soup. It tends to be high in sodium and other ingredients I can't pronounce. And it's not really necessary. You can get a nice and creamy sauce by combining fresh mushrooms and sour cream. And sour cream is a cream I can fully support. I also have a tip about sour cream (similar to my tip about cottage cheese) low fat is just about as low fat as I can go. Fat free sour cream just doesn't blend into things well and it has that plasticy texture I just can't get over.

Traditionalists may serve this over noodles, but I stick with brown rice. Why distract from that beautiful mushroom flavor? Besides, I'm willing to bet that if you serve it over noodles you won't be adding in any real vegetables. But there is a better chance that if you serve it with rice some lovely broccoli or green beans might also make it on to your plate.

Beef Stroganoff
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1 lb beef tenderloin, cut into thin strips
1/4 lb sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper
sprinkle nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Melt half the butter in a skillet. Cook the onions in the butter until see through. Remove from the skillet.
2. Brown the beef in the skillet. Remove and place with the onions.
3. Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and add mushrooms. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Whisk in the sour cream and heat without allowing to boil.
5. Return the beef and onions to the sauce and heat until warm.

How do you relax?

There are lots of different methods used to unwind at the end of the day. Hot baths, glasses of wines, pumping up some music and dancing around the living room in your underwear....

I'm a morning runner, which starts my day off on the right foot (pun intended), so I need something else when I get home to ease myself down from that revved up feeling you get from working all day and then being on a California freeway to get home. I started cooking when I came home from school back when I was in law school. It was guaranteed "me time" in the kitchen without anyone bothering me, and it gave me a sense of accomplishment in having a completed project in a short amount of time.

But I'll let you in on a secret. When things are REALLY busy, when my stress level is REALLY high - I bake. Which is funny, given that I don't have much of a sweet tooth. For some reason, there's more satisfaction in baked goods than in cooked dishes, even if I'm not enjoying them. Maybe it's the fact that they bring such joy to everyone else? And I can make mass quantities and get rid of them, as opposed to making enough stirfry to feed 40 and having to figure out what to do with it. (Just a tip - bringing in bowls and bowls of stirfry to your office doesn't have nearly the appeal of cupcakes.)

The problem becomes when the high levels of stress come from lack of time. You know, like when there's a trial going on and you're showing up for work super early, and staying hours later than usual. Which gives exactly 2 hours to make and eat dinner, make some lunches, throw some laundry in the dryer, and get ready for bed so you can do it all over again. Where's the time for muffins, cookies, or cupcakes?

When there's no time for baked goods, I turn to the second best thing - fudge. It takes just long enough to heat (while you're making dinner), and then you can throw it in the fridge over night. By the next morning, you've got a pan of fudge all ready to go. A pan of fudge which will make you feel so much better about the world. A pan of fudge which will make you a hero to your coworkers and a goddess to your husband. A pan of fudge that seems to just make everything better. And THAT'S how you relax.

Marshmallow Chocolate Fudge
3 cups sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups mini marshmallows
2 pkg chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla

1. Line a large baking pan with foil. Combine the sugar, milk, butter, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil Boil 4-5 minutes.
2. Stir in marshmallows and chocolate chips. Stir until melted.
3. Add vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour into the pans and refrigerate overnight.

Sometimes it's worth the wait

I'm approaching a big number birthday this year. And I'm pretty okay with it. I remember when Thatboy hit this number and started fretting about all the things he hadn't accomplished. But I figure that I still have a whole life ahead of me, and no magic number is the key to when it should be done.

Thatboy is a fan of instant gratification. He wants it and he wants it now. As for me? I can wait. I know that not everything comes at once, and I'm willing to put in the time and effort for something I really want. He ran out and bought a new (to him) car the day he got his first "grown up" job. Me? I'm still driving the car that gets me from A to B and my dream car becomes a more and more distant prospect. But I'm okay with that.

Perhaps my readiness to wait for the good stuff comes from cooking. I mean, you don't eat the batter out of the bowl, even though it would be quicker. (And yes, I'm well aware that many of you probably do eat the batter out of the bowl, but you get my point.) Cooking things low and slow is the best way to tenderize tough cuts of meat. And so many of my favorite foods require a ton of labor and time before they're put on the table to enjoy.

Take Sauerbraten for instance. If you want to make sauerbraten, you have to decide days in advance. It marinates for two days. And then, the day you're ready to serve it? Well start making it in the early afternoon, because it's going to cook for a couple hours. But the thing is, it's completely and totally worth every minute. The marinade makes even a rough cut of meat tender. And red wine does serve as my favorite marinade base. It has complex flavors that could be described as biting back. It's a fantastic use of those pickling spices you bought months ago to make pickles and now have no idea what to do with.

Sauerbraten (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
2 lb top or bottom round roast
1/2 cup red wine
3/4 tsp salt
5 peppercorns, crushed
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp pickling spices
1 1/2 Tbsp shortening
1/4 cup gingersnaps, crushed
1/4 cup sour cream

1. In a saucepan, mix the wine, salt, peppercorns, onion, bay leaves, pickling spices, and 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Let cool.
2. Put beef in a deep bowl and pour the marinade over. Cover the bowl with foil and marinade 2 days, turning twice a day.
3. Preheat oven to 350. Melt the shortening in a covered casserole. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry.
4. Brown the meat on all sides. Strain the marinade and pour it over the meat. Cover and cook 2 hours.
5. Remove the meat from the casserole and place the casserole on a burner. Add the gingersnap crumbs, stirring until the gravy is smooth and thickened.
6. Stir in the sour cream, letting it get hot but not allowing it to boil.
7. Slice the meat and serve with the gravy.

Size DOES matter

Welcome to Eat. Live. Be. For a Better 2011, week 8. The topic this week is portions size, which is definitely one of my fave things to expound upon and what I think is the key to a healthy lifestyle.



Thatboy and I grew up in very different households. He grew up in a household where he would come home from school, his father and he would each take a pint of ice cream, sit on the couch and eat it.

I grew up in a household where all our cookies and boxes of chocolates had slivers cut out of them so everyone could have "just a bite."

One of the first habits I had to break was teaching Thatboy to not eat out of a package - cracker boxes, ice cream pints, the list goes on. Which brings me to my first tip of portion control:

1) Measure out your portions ahead of time. It's easy to finish an entire bag of chips if you're mindless reaching into the bag while watching television. But chances are, you'll be less tempted to overindulge if you measure out your serving of chips, and remove the bag from eyesight. This is how we've gotten a box of wheat thins to last a whole week in Thathouse.

2) Load up on the healthy stuff. If you follow rule #1, you'll notice that a serving of chips isn't really all that much, and not necessarily very satisfying. However, a serving of grapes will get you a lot farther in terms of filling you up. Pile on the lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables and even with larger portions, you'll still be consuming less calories.

And the rule that comes directly from the slivers of cookies and chocolates in my house growing up:

3) It's okay to have something naughty every now and again, but keep your portions of these smaller than an actual "portion size." It's okay to have a brownie, you don't need to beat yourself up. But it's not okay to eat an entire pan of brownies. Split that dessert with a friend, everyone gets a taste, but do you really NEED all of it? Giving yourself a little bit makes you less tempted to go out and eat an entire cheesecake.

And now a recipe that puts portion control into action. Sandwiches are great for portion control because they have everything you want in a compact, hand held, mouthwatering vehicle. This one is filled with lean turkey and loads of dark green spinach. Of course there's some garlic goat cheese in there, which I much prefer to mayonnaise. Instead of fries, I serve our sandwiches with a salad, because it's filling without the heaviness. It's a meal you can feel good about. Even if you eat the whole thing!

Turkey and Goat Cheese Baguette
2 oz garlic goat cheese
1 baguette, cut in half and sliced
8 slices of turkey
baby spinach

1. Spread 1 oz of garlic goat cheese on each of the baguette halves.
2. Top cheese with four slices of turkey per baguette half.
3. Top turkey with as much spinach as you can and still close your sandwich.


Next week we're going to recommend books and resources that help on the healthy journey.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Have it Your Way

Lately it has been all about me in Thathouse. And I'm telling you, a girl could get used to this. You see, last weekend Thatboy headed out to the store to pick up a movie, and came back with "How to Train Your Dragon." This is a big deal, because normally when Thatboy goes to pick up a movie, it's usually a movie you've never heard of, and 9 times out of 10, it's in another language. Yep, foreign Indie films are his favorite.

I felt pretty lucky to be able to see a movie I wanted to see without having to threaten dismemberment or refusal to cook another meal. I figured it was a one time deal.

Then this morning as we were lazily lying in bed trying to figure out what to do (can you remember the last time you had no plans whatsoever?) when I suggested going to a movie. Usually that would involve Thatboy popping open his computer and checking to see what's playing - naming only movies I've never heard anything about. Which of course, prompts the question: "What's that about?" and the inevitable answer: "I don't know, let me check." He pretty much assumes if he hasn't heard of it, it must be a fantastic movie. So you can imagine my surprise when he told me to check and see what was playing. Which means I got to screen the movie choices before and purposely not tell him the movies who had names I couldn't pronounce. I gave him a list of several options, and he told me to go ahead and pick whatever I wanted to see. I stared at him in disbelief. "You don't even want to rule one or two of them out?" He didn't. And that, my friends, is how we got to see "Cedar Rapids" today. And we spent the entire time bent over in laughter. We both find John C. Reilly hilarious, especially when he's Dr. Steve Brule. And how can you not find a place in your heart for doofy, affable, Ed Helms. He's just got such an "aw shucks" quality about him.

On the way home, we stopped to return "How to Train Your Dragon" and pick up a new movie. And this is where things got suspicious, because Thatboy let me get "Toy Story 3." (Can you tell my taste in movies is a bit different than him?) I cornered him in the car, asking what gives. I thought maybe he had heard I only had a couple days to live, or something similar. Nope. Turns out, he's been feeling bad that it's been all about him with movies for almost the entire last year, and this was my turn to cash in. (I knew going to all those Twilight movies with him would eventually pay off for me.)

Dinner was one of my favorite "company meals" - Steak au poivre. Just say it, it even sounds fancy, which is why it's such a great company meal. But like any great company meal, it is much easier to make than it sounds. Because when you have company over, the last thing you want to do is spend forever in the kitchen worrying about dinner.

There are various recipes for steak au poivre, but they all bear one thing in common - coating the steak with crushed peppercorn. (That's the au poivre part) A lot of recipes use a cream sauce, but I don't think you need it. A simple gravy made with just enough bourbon to deglaze the pan has always been my go-to.

Now to add the finishing touch and really impress your guests, dress up your rice dish. Thatboy grew up with his "fancy rice" as Uncle Ben's wild rice mix. You don't need a mix though to make easy, delicious rice. And in Thathouse, unless it's Thatboy's birthday, we usually stay away from rice mixes. Instead, stir in your own spices. Add some rice and toasted almond, and you'll be amazed at the silence that fills your room as your guests fill their mouths.

Steak au Poivre
4 steaks (filets are the typical cut of choice, but I also like thin guys because they cook so quickly)
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp peppercorns, coarsely crushed (I give 'em a good whack with the meat tenderizer)
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
4 Tbsp bourbon

1. Rub the steaks with salt. Sprinkle them with half the peppercorns. Now, remember that meat tenderizer you used to crush the peppercorn? Use it again to pound the pepper into the steak. Flip the steak over and do the same thing on the other side.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a skillet and saute the steaks, 4 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
3. Add the bourbon and 2 Tbsp water to the still hot pan. Cook, scraping the browned bits off the the bottom of the pan. Boil for one minute, and pour over the steaks.

Turkish Pilaf (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
6 Tbsp butter
1 cup rice
1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 cups chicken broth

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Melt the butter in a skillet and stir in the rice. Cook over low heat a couple minutes till the rice is shiny.
2. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until they are soft.
3. Pour the skillet contents into casserole. Add the salt, bay leaf, cinnamon, raisins, and almonds.
4. Heat the chicken broth until it's boiling and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Cover and bake 45 minutes.

How I got my husband to hate ham

This is a post about Thatboy and his intense hatred of ham. He didn't always hate ham, in fact I caused this severe aversion.

I went through a period last year where I made a LOT of ham. It started innocently enough, Thatdad used to make ham and it had been years since I had it. I had a hankering for it. So I bought a ham, and basted and cooked it. The first night was heaven. I had forgotten that glorious taste of roasted ham. But there was a bunch more left over. Have you ever made ham for just 2 people? We ate ham for a long time after that. Long enough that Thatboy began to dread dinner. If he had more friends I would imagine he would have started inventing dinners, or late nights at work, or maybe a food allergy.

Since that time, he's been a little shy of ham. For the most part, I've been great about not serving him what he so intensely dislikes. Call it a guilty conscious. When I do use ham, I try to mix it in with something else. It's less about hiding the taste, and more about making it new! and exciting! And it works.

Ham croquettes have the classic ham and mustard flavor, but also a creaminess that directly contrasts with the crisp golden outer shell. I make these to pop into our lunches, since they're so easy to heat and eat without making a mess. And even Thatboy hasn't complained about them.

Ham Croquettes
3 tbsp flour
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup hot milk
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups ham, ground
1/2 Tbsp parsley
1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp onion, minced
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
canola oil

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir int he flour and cook about 2 minutes.
2. Add the milk, stirring as sauce thickens. Bring to a boil
3. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower heat and simmer 2-3 minutes.
4. Combine with ham, parsley, mustard, onion in a bowl and blend well.
5. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and the egg in a shallow bowl (pie plates work great for this)
6. Beat 1 Tbsp water in with the egg.
7. Shape the ham mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll them in the crumbs, dip in the egg, and do another roll in the crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Fill a skillet with oil and heat to about 360. Fry the croquettes in the oil a couple at a time until golden. (Turn them as necessary)
9. Drain on paper towels.

Anyone low on iron?

We've been eating a lot of red meat lately. Maybe you've noticed. Maybe your arteries have noticed. Thatboy thinks I'm trying to kill him off. Silly boy, he doesn't have near enough life insurance yet to make that worthwhile.

In high school, my friend Suo used to say that women should eat red meat around "that time of the month" to boost their iron because of all the blood loss. I don't honestly think there's any correlation, since that's extra blood we're losing, but the concept stuck with me.

Especially a couple years later when I self diagnosed myself with anemia. I don't know if I'm actually anemic, but I went through a period of time where I was really tired, all the time. There was no real reason for my fatigue, I had the same levels of stress, work, and physical activity that I always had. I decided to play with my iron a little, upping my intake of foods high in iron. Voila, fatigue disappeared. I'm a scientist at heart, and therefore I treated this little test as conclusive proof of my anemia. Plus, I go along with the "if it ain't broke" philosophy. If upping my iron intake helps me be less tired, it doesn't really matter if I'm really anemic or not.

So whenever I go through periods of being especially tired and worn out - even if I can trace the cause back to having some very long days as of late - I include a little extra red meat in our diets. And some dark leafy vegetables like spinach.

This steak is prepared stovetop, I believe Alton Brown calls the method "Pittsburgh Style." Coming from Pittsburg, I don't recognize this as being a local dish. I do love the gorgeous crust it creates on the steak. Brown and near glazed on the outside, warm and tender on the inside. It's my preferred menu of making something like filet mignon, although I have also been known to start the meat in the pan and transfer to the oven after that crust develops.

A cast iron pan is a must for this though. As much as I love a nonstick pan, it just doesn't work for a nice pan steak, because you need a little stick to brown it right. And cleaning becomes a breeze when you deglaze the pan with wine. It gives you a sauce and loosens up all the little stuck on pieces. It's easy enough and delicious enough to try even if you haven't diagnosed yourself with any sort of blood disorder.

Pan Steak
steak (1/2 lb per serving)
1 Tbsp oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine

1. Dip a paper towel in the oil and rub over a cast iron pan. Heat the pan until it is searing hot.
2. Add the steak. Cook on one side until brown (about 5 minutes).
3. Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the wine to the pan, scraping up the browned bits to incorporate them into the sauce. Reduce the sauce for a minute or so and pour over the steaks.

Cheesecake for dinner

When I grew up in Pennsylvania we were worlds removed from a Jewish community. There was one other Jewish person in my school, and the Jewish population of my town could fit in a single room.

However, a mere hour and a half away lied our closest ties to Jewish civilization. An area in Pittsburgh known as "Squirrel Hill." And every year at Passover, this is where we would venture to stock up on Pesach friendly food. Of course, the trip would always include a stop at the bakery and the deli for our last feast before the week long ritual.

One of our trips t0 Squirrel Hill was not for Passover-stocking, but to dine with a Lebovitch family. I have no idea how my parents met them, or why we were driving an hour and a half for a dinner, but the dinner was completely memorable to me. First, because it was my first experience with Orthodox Jews. Like any other religion, Judaism separates out into various levels of orthodoxy, with Orthodox being the most conservative/strict/adherent. Our congregation was "reform" which leaned more on the "conservative" side. So visiting these people was a bit of an eye opener in terms of culture.

The Lebovitch family we dined with kept Kosher, which was a second reason the trip was memorable. I'd never met anyone who actually kept Kosher, the idea being akin to a unicorn or other mythical being. But this Kosher thing was going to work to my advantage in another way.

You see, when we arrived, Mrs. L told us she had picked up some kind of world famous cheesecake. The best ever. I can't remember where she got it, that's not the important part of the story. The important part is that Mrs. L wanted us to try this phenomenal cheesecake. But you, see there was a problem.

One of the tenants of keeping Kosher is that you do not mix meat and dairy. I had always assumed that meant no cheeseburgers, but it goes farther than that. You see, after eating meat, you can't have dairy products for about 6 hours. Which would mean, that to enjoy the cheesecake, we'd have to wait until after midnight. So the Ls told us their solution. Eat the cheesecake FIRST. That's right, you only have to wait an hour after eating dairy to consume meat.

Something about adults telling you to eat cheesecake first was life changing for me. Think about it, eat your dessert before dinner. It's brilliant on so many levels. Mostly because as a kid you don't really want dinner anyway, it's just a pathway to dessert. I can't tell you a single thing about whether that cheesecake was any good or not. But I do know that being able to eat it first, left a lasting impression on me.

So I'm going to share this cheesecake recipe with you and recommend you go ahead and skip dinner. Just eat this. For dinner. Or breakfast. Or any meal you'd like. Because I've been told by a reputable source that it's okay to eat cheesecake first.

Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 6 ounces)
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/4 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix the graham crackers with 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter and press into bottom and sides of 9 inch pie pan. Chill while preparing filling.

2. Combine raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Boil for 1-2 minutes, until thick.

4. Combine cream cheese, egg, remaining sugar, remaining corn starch, and almond extract in an electric mixer until smooth.

5. Pour cheesecake into the crust.

6. Pour the raspberry sauce over the cheesecake and swirl using a knife. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheesecake is set.

Something Nice Steak

Thatboy has been especially sweet to me lately. Mostly it's in the things he says, like when he offered to stop by Target and pick me up some twizzlers because lately at night I want something sweet that's not chocolate. But sometimes his actions are equally as sweet. I don't always sleep well at night. Part of the problem is Thatboy gets up 2-3 times a night to hit the bathroom. Sometimes I can sleep through it, sometimes I can't. In my lightened sleep state last night, I vaguely became aware someone was standing over me, tucking me in. This morning, I confronted Thatboy.

Me: Did you tuck me in this morning?
TB: Yeah, I was going to the bathroom and I noticed you didn't have any sheets. I didn't want you to get cold.
Me: Yeah, I remember not being able to get any sheets a little before that, because you had taken them all. You did that this weekend too.
TB: Yeah, I felt bad.

I wanted to do something nice for him too. You would think that I would go all out and make a fabulous dinner right? Well, check your calendar. It's still a weeknight, and there's still a trial going on. So I had to make something quick, and something easy, but still something fancy. Thatboy is typical of most men, in that he's not one to turn down a nice steak. I swear yesterday the cooking board I frequent had a ton of london broil requests, which reminded me it has been forever since I've made london broil. Since all you're doing is broiling a steak, it's one of the fastest ways cook. I do love broiling for a nice quick meal. Traditionally, London Broil is made with flank steak. Thatboy HATES flank steak, so I tend to use sirloin instead. Save the salt and pepper for after cooking, to really let the flavor come through.

London Broil
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced in half
1 lb sirloin
1 Tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the broiler. Rub the garlic halves on both sides of the steak.
2. Rub the steak with the canola oil, using some to coat the broiler pan.
3. Place steak on a broiler pan and cook 4-5 minutes each side.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cut along the diagonal so it's nice and tender.

The Best Laid Plans

There's a saying that if you want to make G-d smile, tell him your plans. Today, G-d was having a big ole laugh on my behalf.

It started with lunch. A couple weeks back I got an email at work. There was going to be an art exhibit outside my office during the month of February. I forwarded the email to Thatboy and asked if he wanted to make a lunch date out of it. He agreed, and today was the day we were supposed to go.

We planned to meet at the post office, because Thatboy had to mail the anniversary gift for his parents that I spent all weekend working on. That was the first laugh. I convinced Thatboy the post office would have a box big enough for the gift. I was wrong. Which had us then running to the supermarket to pick up some brown paper bags to wrap the gift in. Except the supermarket no longer carries brown paper bags. Sooooo that was a bust.

We headed back to look a the exhibit, and it was GONE. G-O-N-E. With no explanation (I even looked at the email again when I got back to my office and it definitely says it would be up until February 28 - laugh 3, if you're keeping track.)

My next plan involved leaving work at a reasonable time. Even I should have known better than this one. I was going to stop off at the store and grab a duck, roast it while I hit the gym with Thatboy. I got home about 2 hours later than that plan. Too late to stop for ducks. Too late for roasts. Too late for the gym.

And I got cranky on my way home, thinking of how the day had gone so far from planned. I didn't want to deal with anything, least of all dinner. I wanted something easy and comforting. I kept thinking about baked pasta - even though we had had pasta for lunch. When Thatboy called to see if he could do anything to help with dinner (because he was already home from the gym) I asked if he could cook up some rice. He is a fantastic rice cooker.

Thinking of the rice and cheese from the other night, I figured I'd play with that. Adding some parsley and onion for a little more flavor than just cheese (although there is nothing wrong with cheese). Using an egg gives it a rich silkiness and also helps it puff up a bit. And for something completely unplanned, it came out pretty damn good!

Cheesy Baked Rice
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp melted butter
1/2 cup swiss cheese, grated
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 cup parsley, chiffonade
1 egg, beaten
salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a casserole dish with baking spray. Combine all the ingredients.
2. Pour into casserole and bake 40 minutes.

Do you know the muffin man?

There's a good chance if you were to happen in on our house on any given day of the week you would see a basket of muffins atop our kitchen counter.

You see, I'm a firm believer in "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." It gives you some energy to get through the day, jump starts your metabolism, and if you have a sensitive stomach like Thatboy, it helps fight off acid buildup.

The problem is, Thatboy is not really good at eating breakfast. He likes to sleep as long as humanly possible in the mornings, giving him just enough time to shower and jump in a suit before grabbing his briefcase and rushing out the door. Back when he took the train in, I would heat up some instant oatmeal for him to eat on the train. But his current position means he has to drive in most mornings, and he says he can't eat oatmeal while he drives. He's not much of a multitasker.

So on the weekends, I usually make a batch of muffins for him to grab on his way out the door in the morning. Which is perfectly fitting since this week on Eat.Live.Be., the topic is healthy snacks you can grab on your way out the door.

While muffins may not necessarily qualify as "snacks" per se, especially because I've already told you they're breakfast, the point is well taken. It's something healthy you can grab while you're on your way out the door so you don't have to worry about skipping breakfast.

Besides, I don't do a lot of cooking when it comes to my healthy snacks. I tend to use a mix of carbs and protein like:

pretzels and hummus
almond butter and apples
cheese and grapes
turkey on crackers
carrots and balsamic vinaigrette

So if it wasn't for my muffins, I wouldn't have very much to share with you!

Next week we're going to talk about portions - my favorite topic ever!

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Corn Muffins (makes 12 muffins)
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp melted shortening

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray a muffin pan with baking spray. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the wet ingredients and blend well.
3. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes.

(For a twist, this week I added some dried cranberries to the batter. Thatboy loved it. You can experiment with some of your favorite dried fruit, or even fresh fruit. Corn blueberry muffins sound like something I could get behind.)

What a dfference a year makes

Today marks 2 years since Thatdad's death. Last weekend Thatmom and I were talking about this anniversary. She asked if I had any feelings related to the date. I didn't. I told her that it could have been any day, I didn't tie any significance to February 20.

And then I looked back to my entry related to last year. I was a mess. The entire month of February I was a mess, all the days leading up to the actual anniversary. And I wrote about how grief wasn't linear, and it doesn't get better with time passing.

But to compare my feelings this year, with my feelings from last year, is like reading the thoughts of two entirely different people. It's hard to have perspective when you're knee deep in grief, but being able to look back, you can see the change.

And although Thatmom still has her rough days, I think she has also come a far way from last year too. This year she chose to spend the day alone, at home, which is unusual since she normally wants to be surrounded by family on these harder days. And I know it's been a hard month for her in general. I'm expecting it to be a hard couple of months, given that her birthday and anniversary are next month. February and March are reminders of loss.

But for us, life has returned to near normal. I don't know that it will ever really be "normal" normal, but it has become the new normal. There are still moments I want to settle a debate by asking the only person I know will KNOW the answer. I reach for the phone thinking "Thatdad will know who sings the song" only to remember it doesn't work that way anymore. The past few months have brought a lot of times when I've thought about things Thatdad is missing out on. But in general, I'm able to live a life without him.

We spent the day doing very normal things - breakfast in bed, a trip to the outlets, lunch at a taco shop, and then home for a nap. I know you're jealous of how productive we were. I couldn't even be bothered with a very complicated dinner, which means I let my oven do all the work. To be fair, that lazy bum sat around all day doing nothing.

Tenderloin is easy, be it pork or beef. It's obviously the very best part of the animal since you don't have to worry about pesky bones or a thick layer of fat, but it's still incredibly tender (which is probably why it's called the tenderloin). It roasts beautifully, with only a little bit of oil or butter needed. Because of the size it's also a great thing to serve to company.

Roast Beef Tenderloin
1 tenderloin (allow about 1/3 lb per serving)
butter

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place the roast in a shallow pan (if it has a narrow tip, tuck it underneath so the roast is the same thickness throughout the pan.)
2. Dot the roast with butter. Roast 30-35 minutes for medium rare. Obviously cook it longer for a more well done roast. Just a note- you're going to let it sit for a bit, during which time it will continue to cook, so you may want to pull it out before it gets to complete doneness.
3. Place the tenderloin on a warm platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice and serve.

A day of goods and bads

The good: I got to sleep in this morning all the way till 9. I never get to do that.

The bad: Because I slept in, I didn't have time for a run or the farmer's market before my lunch date with H.

The good: Lunch with H. One of my favorite people. And the perfect day to split a grilled cheese and tomato soup.

The bad: It started raining again, which meant my outside run was canceled and I had to run on the treadmill at the gym.

The good: At least I got a run in. And I got to watch Spongebob while I ran. Interesting fact, for some reason, Spongebob is always on when I'm on the treadmill. It's like, fate.

Also good is that I was able to get a lot accomplished today, including picking up an anniversary gift for TFIL and TMIL and I'm warming up our whole place with some heavy duty oven work. I started with dessert, because - well, a nice warm dessert is always nice on a rainy weekend evening. And then I moved on to dinner. Something warm and baked was definitely in order.

Usually this would be a mac and cheese kind of night. But we wanted something a little bit different. That, and I was all out of elbow macaroni. And Thatboy gets weird when I try to throw in a different noodle. Of course, I can do anything I want if I don't bother telling him he's getting mac and cheese. "Just wait till you try this new dish!" I tell him. "Cheesy rice! It's got rice, it's got cheese, it's baked and warm, you're going to love it!" He didn't even know what hit him. And neither will you!

Rice and Cheese
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crackers, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with baking spray. Spread half of the rice in the dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese.
2. Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on top and a pinch of salt. Dot with 1 Tbsp butter.
3. Create another layer of rice, cheese, cayenne, salt, and butter.
4. Pour milk over all, and sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes.

Oh I love a rainy night

The rain has returned to Southern California. Oh sure, we had a break for a couple of weeks - but only enough to act as a tease.

It snuck in on Wednesday night, pattering and tapping on our roof and windows. But by Wednesday afternoon, it was gone. Was it just my imagination? My wet boots told me it wasn't. Thursday held the threat of rain all day, just waiting for an errant move. We held our breath. But nothing.

So today, I shouldn't have been disappointed when I looked out my window to see the umbrellas, scurrying beneath me. But I was. Except, then I realized. It was Friday. As long as I could make it home okay, it could rain rain away. There's something I love about curling up on the couch on a rainy night, fire roaring, tv blaring, and it's even better knowing I don't have to get up and go out in it tomorrow morning.

Rainy winter weather makes me crave polar opposites. On the one hand, I want warm dishes like soups, stews, and chilis. But somehow, all that wet cold weather also makes me want fruit. I know, crazy, right? Maybe it's wishful thinking, wanting sun ripened fruit when the outside is so very un-sun-ripened.

But as I said earlier this week, fruit is something I never feel guilty indulging in. Bring it on! Big beautiful, highly unseasonable berries, except, berries are a plenty at the farmer's market. I can't fully explain it, but they are. So at least Southern California produce is as crazy as I am.

Berry Yogurt Parfait
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 6 oz containers strawberry yogurt
your favorite granola

1. Divide berries between 2 glasses, layering them on top of each other.
2. Top each glass of berries with one of the strawberry yogurts.
3. Sprinkle granola on top.

Please Sir, May I have some Moor

I’ve always been a strange reader – strange in that I never read what most of my peers were reading. I had read the entire Shakespearean Comedy Canon by the time I was in 6^th grade, at which point I decided I should challenge myself by reading the Illiad and the Oddessy.

I was never into Sweet Valley High, although I had an unnatural love for anything R.L.Stine or what we called the “Point Books” – some sub-publication which specialized in pre-teen horror, which quickly led to my obsession with nonfiction reports of psychology and serial killers. (It wasn’t until I met Magski that I realized this might be a phase many young girls go through)

And then I got to high school, where all of a sudden, I was reading what everyone else was – even though they were reading it because it was assigned. This was my English Lit phase. Bronte, Austen, Bronte, Hardy, Donne. I much preferred the pastoral setting to the city life portrayed by Dickens and Shelley. I pictured myself out on the moors, my hair flowing behind me in the wind as the tall grass swayed. (This is probably about as romantic as I get)

And then, in 11^th grade, I actually got to go! To the moors! And they were fantastic – everything I had dreamed about. Complete with frolicking sheep. Which led to my first real issue – how on earth was I going to enjoy that lamb dinner after I had just watched those sweet guileless sheep make their way along the moors, their sheep hair flowing in the wind as the tall grass swayed. The second issue? That tall grass, is actually a plant known as rape. And how not-poetic does that sound? “Their sheep hair flowing in the wind as the rape swayed.” I guess it still is poetic if you’re some sort of sheep fetishist.

York was my absolute favorite part of England. I loved the moors, and I loved the city so much more than London. I loved the walls, I loved the Viking Museum – complete with authentic smells, I loved the church that allowed you to peer down and see ancient Roman ruins beneath Norman ruins.

And Yorkshire food is exactly what you would expect, hearty and warm. Focusing on rich, flavorful meats that are sure to keep you happy through a long Yorkshire winter. In fact, many of you may be familiar with one of the most famous of Yorkshire dishes – Yorkshire pudding.

In general, pudding in England doesn’t refer to the J-E-L-L-O type of dessert, but any dessert. However, Yorkshire pudding is a doughy lovechild of a pancake and a popover. Traditionally the batter was placed under a roasting lamb, so that the fat from the meat would drip in as the lamb cooked. The airfilled dough was often served as a course on its own.

Yorkshire pudding has a way of working with almost any cut of lamb or beef. It’s light enough to complement the meal without stealing the show, although you may be tempted to forgo the meat entirely after a couple bites. And without worrying about yeast, it’s also one of the easiest starchy sides to make.

Yorkshire Pudding (from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

• 4 Tbsp pan drippings from beef or lamb
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp salt

1. Turn up oven to 450. Pour the pan drippings into a 9x9 pan. Put the pan in the oven to keep sizzling while you prepare the batter.
2. Combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt and beat until well blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

Standing Rib Roast
1 standing rib roast
3/4 cup red wine
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place the meat, fat side up in a shallow pan and allow to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
2. Roast for 20 minutes per pound. Remove roast from the oven and set on the carving board.
3. Drain off the fat and put the roasting pan on a burner, stovetop over low heat.
4. Add the wine and stir, scraping the meaty pieces off the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 2 minutes. Spoon this sauce over the carved meat.